Specimen collection bags are devices that are used during laparoscopic or other surgical procedures to retrieve tissue, stones or other objects that have been surgically removed from a patient. During use, a specimen retrieval bag is inserted into the patient through an incision, natural orifice or through a trocar. One end of the bag is opened and a surgical tool is used to place the specimen in the bag. The bag is then closed and the removed from the body.
One common problem with conventional specimen collection bags is keeping the bags open in the tight confines of the surgical area. Numerous bag designs have been proposed with spring wires or other self-expanding mechanisms that open one end of the bag upon release. However, such bags often require special tools to deliver and retrieve the bags and are therefore more expensive to manufacture.
Given these problems, there is a need for a specimen collection bag that is easy to open and close, does not require specialized delivery or removal tools and is inexpensive to manufacture.